Deaths

• Begay, Shawn
• Benally, Ella
• Bitsui, Benson
• Bratzel, Allen
• Esparza, Lydia
• Musser, Ronald

Shawn Begay

PHOENIX — Funeral services for Shawn E. Begay, 37, will be 10 a.m. June 28, at the Grace Fellowship Church, Chinle. The Rev. Joe James Begaye will officiate. Burial will be at Begay family farm, Chinle.

Begay died June 21, 2008, in Phoenix. He was born July 23, 1970, in Ganado, into the Water Flows Together People Clan for the Salt People Clan.

Begay graduated from Gallup High School. He worked for Baker Concrete Construction in Phoenix. His hobbies included barbecueing and fishing with his daughters.

Survivors include his daughters, Amanda T. Stopper, Alicia M. Begay, Shantira D. Begay; parents, Chester R. Begay, Alice M. Towne; brothers, Elroy Ahasteen, Eric Begay, Nathan Begay, Josiah Begay; one grandchild.

Begay was preceded in death by his grandparents, Tapaha Nez Begay, Myrtle Bizardie Begay, Bud Towne, Rachel Towne.

Pallbearers will be Elroy Ahasteen, Eric Begay, Nathan Begay, Josiah Begay, Wovoka Begaye and Jon Martin Mitchell.

The family will receive relatives and friends at Begay family farm, Chinle.

Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Ella Benally

ROCK SPRINGS — Funeral Mass for Ella Bennett Benally, 74, will be 10 a.m. June 27, at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Gallup. The Rev. Matthew Keller will officiate. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Park. A rosary will be recited tonight, June 26, at the Rollie Mortuary.

Benally died June 22, 2008, in Gallup. She was born Aug. 16, 1933, in Tseyatoh, into the Towering House People Clan for the Red Running Into the Water People Clan.

Survivors include her husband, Wilson Benally; daguthers, Genevieva E. Cisco, Geneva E. Benally; brother, Ernest McCrae; sister, Stella Dayea; two grandchildren.

Benally was preceded in death by his father, Joe Kee Bennett; mother, Mary Bennett McCrae.

Pallbearers will be family members.

The family will receive relatives and friends at Rocksprings Chapter, following services.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Benson Bitsui

CINCINNATI, Ohio — Life celebration for Benson Bitsui, 70, was 9:30 a.m., June 25, at St. Gabriel Catholic Church, Cincinnati.

Bitsui died June 23, 2008, in Cincinnati. He was born Sept. 30, 1937, in Coyote Canyon, into the Black Streak Forest People Clan for the Water Flowing Together People Clan.
Bitsui attended St. Michaels Indian School in St. Michael, Ariz. He served in U.S. Air Force and retired from Honeywell Inc. He then made his home in Los Angeles, Calif.

Survivors include his wife, Pat; daughter, Kimmy; brothers, David Lee of Coyote Canyon, Raymond Lee of Waterflow, N.M.; sisters, Pearl Bautista of Coyote Canyon, Carol A. Wheeler of Gallup, Marilyn Becenti of Becenti, N.M., Shirley Lee of Albuquerque, Josephine S. Willie of Continental Divide, Roberta Suarez of Farmington.

Bitsui was preceded in death by his father, Hatathley Nez Bitsui; mother, Elsie Lee; sister, Sadie Suarez; brothers, Nelson Bitsui, Robert Joseph Bitsui.

Allen Bratzel

GRANTS — Funeral services for Allen Bratzel, 63, will be 10:30 p.m., June 27, at the Grace Baptist Church. Burial will be in Grants Memorial Park. The Rev. Dale Thatcher will officiate. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m., today, June 26, at the Grace Baptist Church.

Bratzel died June 21, 2008, in Albuquerque. He was born Jan. 6, 1945, in Bismarck, N.D.

Bratzel was a veteran of the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and was a military policeman at White Sands. He was a longtime resident of Grants and attended Grace Baptist Church with his family. Bratzel enjoyed staying at home with his family, camping, fishing and hunting.

Survivors include his wife, Marline Bratel of Grants; children, Ginger Ann Bratzel of Socorro, James Allen Bratzel of Grants; brother, Ken Bratzel of Sioux Falls, S.D.; five grandchildren.

Bratzel was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest Bratzel and Anna Voegel Bratzel.

Pallbearers will be Ronald Tomlinson, Darryl Hampton, Jimmy Grinder, Toni Boyd, Nolan Hite, and Lee Hite.

Go to www.compassionmotuary.com to send condolences.

Compassion Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Lydia Esparza

GALLUP — Services are pending for Lydia H. Esparza, 92.
Esparza died Tuesday, June 24, in Albuquerque. She was born March 2, 1916, in Ojuela, Durango Mexico.

A viewing will be 12-4:30 p.m., June 27 and 8 a.m.- 12 p.m. June 28, at Rollie Mortuary.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Ronald Musser

ALBUQUERQUE — Funeral Mass for Ronald Lee Musser, 45, will be 2 p.m. June 28 at St. Francis Church.

Musser died June 6, 2008, in Albuquerque. He was born May 31, 1963, in Gallup.

Musser graduated from New Mexico Military in Roswell in 1981 with honors. He lived and worked in Gallup until 1989 when he moved to Midland, Texas, where he began a career in the construction industry. He lived in Midland and Dallas until moving to Albuquerque, in 1995, where he worked in the construction/building maintenance field.

Survivors include his sons, Peter J. Musser of Gallup, Ronald J. Musser of Dallas; daughter, Britney Musser of Dallas; parents, Francis and Luis Mares; brothers, Scott Musser of Chino Hills, Calif., Chris Musser of Albuquerque.

Musser was preceded in death by his father, Peter James Musser; grandparents, Jesus and Lilly Yepez, George and Jean Musser.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.